Grinding machine



April 19, 1938. H. J. PERAZZOLI GRINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet l MX'W ATTORN EYJ' April 19, 1938. v H. J. PERAZZOLI 2,114,454

GRINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q INVENTOR April 19, 1938. J PERAZZOU 2,114,454

GRINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR April 19, 1938. H. J. PERAZZOL! GRINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 28, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR BY y Y ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHCE GRINDING MACHINE Henry J. Perazzoli, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application October 28, 1935, Serial No. 46,992

4 Claims. (Cl. 51-178) This invention relates to a novel grinding machine. certain features of which are especially suitable for use in a readily portable grinding machine particularly adapted to grind rails of a railroad or street car trackway.

One of the principal objects of the invention is the provision of a machine or unit adapted to receive power from a flexible driving shaft, the latter being driven by any suitable motor which, in the case of a portable machine, is handleable as a separate unit. For this purpose the invention provides a readily separable drive connection adapted to cooperate with the flexible shaft.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple machine of this character, having relatively few parts, the whole being arranged in a manner to provide novel weight distribution and balance. An important point in this connection is that the weight of the machine is so distributed with reference to the abrasive material or blocks employed that the unit has certain inherent stability or balance and need not, therefore, be provided with means for supporting it in upright position such as a laterally extending arm carrying a roller adapted to ride on another rail, as has been adopted in certain prior machines.

In addition to the foregoing the invention provides a compact arrangement of driving parts, including reduction gearing between the means for coupling the machine with the flexible drive shaft and the abrasive elements.

According to another aspect of the invention, a simple and yet effective abrasive carrier and supporting mechanism is employed, this being arranged so as to reduce the number of parts to a minimum and also to accomplish a number of other purposes which will appear more fully hereinafter.

Another object of the invention is involved in the provision of a convenient mechanism for replacing worn-out grinding elements, such as bricks or blocks.

" tain parts in vertical section, of a grinding machine incorporating the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the section line 22 on Figure 1; 4

Figure 3 is a further enlarged transverse sectional view taken as indicated by the section line 33 on Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side view of certain of the members employed, including abrasive blocks of somewhat modified construction as compared with the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive;

Figures 5 and 6 are top and sectional views, in modified form, of an abrasive device and its mounting;

Figures '7 and 8 are views similar to Figures 5 and 6, but showing another modification; and

Figures 9 and 10 are also views similar to Figures 5 and 6 illustrating a still further embodiment.

The general features of the mechanism, as will best be seen from inspection of Figure 1, include frame members, such as angle irons H, these being extended lengthwise of the machine and being secured to the upper ends of uprights ii on which rollers l3 are mounted and adapted to ride on'a rail 14 to be ground. U-shaped handles, portions of which are illustrated at Ha, may conveniently be fastened to the framing il toward opposite ends thereof.

An additional frame including angles 15 and end pieces [6 serves to carry the working parts of the machine by means of supports 11. The frame members It are positioned adjacent to the uprights l 2 and are provided with apertured projections l8 extending through vertically elongated slots is formed in the uprights l2. Relative vertical movement of the framing comprising members l5, Hi and H, with respect to the main frame elements H and supports. I2, is provided for by means of a threaded collar 26 at each end of the unit, which collars are keyed in the brackets I8 and receive the adjusting screws 2!. Springs 20a are interposed between the brackets l8 and the heads of the collars 20 so as to provide resilience in the pressure of the grinding elements on the rail. The screws 2| are journalled in members 22 wihch are carried by the angles H and a worm wheel 23 is mounted at the upper end of each screw 2! in position to cooperate with a worm 24 mounted on shaft 25. This shaft extends throughout the length of the machine and is provided with a hand wheel 26 at one end thereof whereby adjustment of both worms and worm wheels, and therefore of both screws 2!, is effected simultaneously. Springs 28a are of especial advantage in preventing rais ing of the entire machine when a high spot on the rail is encountered by the grinding elements.

The grinding portion of the mechanism is carried between the pairs of supporting plates IT at each end of the machine and includes (see Figure 2) side plates 27 and 28. These plates serve to partially enclose and completely support all of the operative parts for carrying and driving the grinding elements.

As best seen in Figure 2, a transverse shaft 29, journalled by bearings 3ll30, is mounted in the frame plates ill and 28, one end of this shaft being provided with a key arrangement 3! adapted for ready connection and disconnection with a flexible power shaft. The non-rotatable sleeve 32 surrounding this end of shaft 29 is threaded as at 33 to cooperate with the sheath of the flexible drive shaft.

Gears 34 and 35 serve to couple shaft 29 with an additional shaft 36 also carried by the frame members 27 and 28, and in turn coupled by means of gears 31, 38 and 39 with shaft 45, gear 38 being an idler suitably mounted on the pin 41.

Shaft 40 takes the form of a sleeve mounted on bearings 42- 1 which in turn are supported by the fixed spindle 43. The cylindrical shaft 453 further carn'es a sprocket 44, this being a counterpart of another similar sprocket 45 which is mounted toward the other end of the frame plates 21 and 28 on an additional cylindrical shaft 46 which is constructed and arranged in a manner essentially similar to that described in connection with shaft 40. Shaft 45, however, is carried by blocks 4! (see Figures 1 and 2) adapted to slide in slots 48 so as to provide freedom of movement of the two sprockets (44 and 45) toward" and away from each other. Adjusting screws 49 taking into threaded lugs 50 provide for adjustment of the position of the blocks 41 in slots 48.

The adjustment mechanism described just above serves to take up slack in the chain carrier for the abrasive elements, now to be described, which chain surrounds the sprockets 44 and 45 and is driven by sprocket 44 of the drive mechanism already described.

By reference to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive it will be seen that the chain consists of pairs of alternate inside and outside links 5! and 52 coupled by pintles 53. Each pair of links 5l5l and 5252 serves to carry an abrasive device, and for this purpose it is provided with laterally projecting brackets 54 and 55, respectively (see particularly Figures 3 and 4). Each pair of brackets 54-54 and 5555 carries a supporting plate 55, suitable fastening screws 51 being provided for this purpose. An abrasive device is in turn secured to the carrier plate 56 by means of studs 58, these being readily removable to provide for convenient replacement of worn grinding elements.

In addition to serving as a means for carrying the abrasive devices, the plates 56 further serve a guiding function, and for this purpose are provided with extensions 59 at their outside ends which fit and slide between cooperating guides or gibs 60 and BI. The guides 60 are provided with recesses or slots 62 (see Figure 1) through which fastening studs 63 extend and take into the side of the frame plates 21 and 28. By this means the guides may be adjusted with reference to the straight runs of the chain between the two sprockets. Guide members 6! are supported by brackets 64 which are secured to the guides 65 so that upon adjustment, both guides move together.

With reference to Figure 1 it will further be seen that the working edge of guides 60 are tapered or inclined at their ends as at 65, this being of importance in order to provide a gradual change in the angular position of the abrasive devices during the time they are moving from a curved run around the sprocket intov a straight run between the sprockets, or vice versa. It will also be noted that these guides thus provide for movement of the abrasive elements in straight runs between the sprockets which are slightly out of tangency with respect to the sprockets.

Guide members 6|, however, are desirably formed with straight working edges so as to accommodate the cocking or angling of the guide extensions 59 of the carrier plates 56 as the abrasive devices are moving from a curved run into a straight run and vice versa.

By virtue of the foregoing guide construction I have found that the abrasive elements are effectively retained in a path of movement providing a planer action on the rail in addition to the rotary grinder action occurring at the points where the abrasive elements move into and out of a straight run. I have further found that these guides materially reduce vibration and substantially eliminate whipping during operation. By reference to Figure 1 it will further be seen that the configuration of the guides and the positioning of the several parts are all such as to provide access to the securing bolts 58 serving to attach the abrasive elements to the carrier plates 56. Replacements are thus facilitated.

Turning now io the construction of the abrasive devices themselves, reference is made first to the arrangement shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. In this construction a plate 55 is provided, the same having a pair of apertures into which the abrasive material 61 is molded to provide dovetail interlocks as shown at 68. It will be noted that the abrasive block is elongate-d transversely of the rail to be ground, the effective surface preferably being slightly concave as at 59 to correspond with the surface desired. The plate 66 further has undercut projections 15 at the longer edges of the block so as to provide a further interlock N.

This latter interlock appears to best advantage in Figure 4, which illustrates the same construction as Figures 1 to 3 inclusive except that the blocks 6? are formed of such width as to leave spaces 72 between adjacent blocks for clearance of grindings and the like. It will be noted, however, that the plates 66 in the arrangement of Figure 4 as well as of Figures 1 to 3 inclusive are of such width as to abut each other in the straight run of the chain between the sprockets, this being of importance in maintaining rigidity during the grinding operation.

Alternatively, the bracket member associated with the abrasive block may take the form shown in Figures 5 and 6. In this case the plate or bracket 73 is provided with central apertures 14 similarly to the arrangement of Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the edges of these apertures being undercut to provide an interlock when the abrasive is molded. As best seen in Figure 6, however, this form of grinding unit contemplates the provision of undercut projections 15 along the ends of the block instead of along the side edges thereof.

Still further, and as seen in Figures 7 and 8, the abrasive block may, if desired, first be molded independently of any carrier plate. Such a block appears at 76 and has a keystone head H of such size as to pass the bevelled edges 18 formed around the large central aperture 19 in the carrier member 853. After molding a block in the shape already specified, the block and the carrier plate 3% are brought together and some moldable material, such as lead, sulphur or the like 8|, is poured into the space surrounding the keystone head ll in order to rigidly secure the block 76 to the plate 80.

The abrasive device of Figures 9 and 10 provides a somewhat different and highly effective means for keying the block to the supporting plate. In this arrangement the abrasive material 82 is molded with a portion thereof projecting into the large opening 83 in the plate 84, the plate further being provided with transverse pins 85 which, of course, are embedded in the material during molding.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention provides an unusually simplified grinding machine or unit which may readily be transported. In this connection, however, it is to be understood that numerous advantages of many features of the invention, especially of the carrier arrangement of the grinding elements, may

- also be secured without utilizing the framing and support structure herein illustrated.

It is further pointed out that by virtue of the arrangement of the various parts described, the center of gravity of the grinding unit per se (excluzhng the frames) lies substantially in a vertical plane containing the rail to be ground. This is of importance regardless of whether the grinding unit is mounted in some. other frame (such as a truck or car), or in framing of the character herein illustrated. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, however, the framing for supporting the grinding unit is also arranged so that its center of gravity lies substantially in a vertical plane containing the rail to be ground, and the weight distribution of the grinding unit and of the framing in this way is of especial advantage in a readily transportable unit as herein contemplated. In operation, the machine may readily be kept in upright position and the weight thereof may all be utilized in securing the desired contact of the abrasive blocks and the rail.

Another important feature of the construction is involved in the arrangement of parts which appears most clearly in Figure 3, i. e., with a central carrier chain and sprockets, abrasive blocks centralized with reference to the chain and sprockets, and guides positioned in planes to each side of the path of movement of the blocks.

I claim:-

1. Apparatus of the character described including in combination with a plurality of abrasive devices, a chain, links of which are. provided with laterally projecting brackets, carrier plates extended transversely of the chain and secured to said brackets, means for securing said devices to the carrier plates, and guide devices cooperating with the carrier plates adjacent the lateral edges thereof to ensure movement of the abrasive devices in a predetermined path.

2. A grinding machine including an endless carrier, means for supporting and driving the same, abrasive means mounted on the carrier, guide flanges projecting laterally from the carrier, and cooperating grooved guides adapted to engage said guide flanges at both sides thereof and provide for travel of the abrasive means and carrier in a predetermined path, the guide flanges and grooved guides having interengagement providing against cocking of the former during movement in said path.

3. A rail grinding machine including means for sup-porting the machine on a rail to be ground, a pair of frame members disposed at opposite sides of a vertical plane containing the rail axis, a pair of spaced rotative devices mounted in the frame members, an endless carrier chain riding on said rotative devices, the chain and the rotative devices being located substantially in said vertical plane, abrasive blocks carried by said chain, for each block laterally projecting guide flanges, and cooperating grooved guides projecting from the frame members to engage the guide flanges.

4. A rail grinding machine including a frame, Wheel means for supporting the frame on the rail to be ground and providing for movement of the machine along the rail, .an endless carrier with support devices therefor mounted in the frame, abrasive blocks secured to the carrier, flat platelike guide devices projecting laterally at opposite sides of the carrier, and grooved guides for receiving said guide devices, the grooved guides being carried by said frame.

HENRY J. PERAZZOLI. 

